Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the deadliest attack in Uri in which 18 soldiers attained martyrdom, but still there is no announcement for ex-gratia for the two soldiers from the state martyred in the attack 'except the lip sympathies' and condemnation poured in from various corners. While the governments of the Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Bihar announced ex-gratia in the wake of the Uri terror attack, Jammu and Kashmir government, the state where the terror attack occurred on September 18 morning, failed to announce any ex-gratia for two martyrs of Jammu region.
Even after 72 hours of the attack, yet nothing official has been announced by the state government or by any of the ministers regarding ex-gratia. The ministers, including of BJP, which is in coalition with ruling PDP, ensured presence at the cremation grounds, but 'uttered no word regarding ex-gratia' to the Next of Kins (NOKs) of martyred soldiers. The martyrs have been identified as Havaldar Ravi Paul of village Sarba in district Samba and Subedar Karnail Singh of village Shibu Chack, Bishnah, Jammu.
Though two ministers of PDP-BJP government reached to lay wreath at the mortal remains of the martyrs, but 'did nothing except expressing lip sympathies' and praying for the eternal peace to the departed souls. ‘’The PDP-BJP government, which took no time to double the salaries of its Council of Ministers as well as legislators during the Assembly session this year, did nothing substantial in this regard except expressing the lip sympathy and condemnation of the terror attack,’’ a close member of the martyred soldier rued.
He further said how the coffers of government of parties like PDP and BJP, which claim to be the real sympathisers of the people, suddenly go dry when the ex-gratia for the brave-hearts has to be announced, it is a million dollar question. ‘’If the governments like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Bihar can announce the ex-gratia for the martyred soldiers, what the government of a state of occurrence of an attack, is waiting for,’’ he said with moist eyes. (UNI)
